


room to breathe

by Anonymous



Category: Polygon/McElroy Vlogs & Podcasts RPF
Genre: M/M, Oh No He Said The Words, incubus brian, pat has some exhausting office job with too many hours, pats sad and his only comfort is a boy who might not even be real, yeehaw!, your boyfriend turned out to be terrifying: uh oh!
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-07
Updated: 2018-09-20
Packaged: 2019-06-23 13:13:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 3,589
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15607056
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: Pat just wants a break from the stress of work life, and a certain demon overhears. He seems like the perfect target for a little soul searching (and soul stealing!).





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> i have Not written in forever im so sorry if this is bad  
> blame wintersweather and celestialvalentine for this  
> we have a lot of fun brainstorming ideas
> 
> title from red vox

The familiar dim light from his apartment was a welcome sight to Pat, who trudged in from the too-bright hallway of the apartment complex. Overly tired and stressed from work, he heard clattering as Charlie ran from somewhere, probably doing something he shouldn’t have been. It barely registered in his mind as he shut the door behind him, dropped his bag on the floor where he stood and made his way to his bedroom, so desperate for sleep. 

His head pounded and he reached over to his nightstand, plugging his phone in to charge after scrolling through his Twitter feed, a last minute check to see if he missed any of the newest memes or wrestling news. He could barely focus his sight as he turned off his lamp, his eyes clouded from exhaustion. He just needed a break from all the stress, wanted to forget about all his work that needed to be done. Just for one day, that’s all he needed. He let out a sigh of relief as his head sunk into his pillow, closed his aching eyes and drifted off to sleep.

He felt something stirring beside him.

Opening one eye just a crack, Pat turned his head to see what it was. He expected to see Charlie asleep next to him on his pillow, purring away like the lazy old man he was. But he was instead met with the face of a stranger.

A beautiful, ethereal stranger with a soft, kind face, and eyes that seemed to stare right into his soul.

The boy laying next to him smiled, a sincere smile that made Pat’s heart flutter. 

“Who the hell… How did...” Pat began to speak, his voice quiet and rough from sleep. His thoughts seemed to scatter and dissolve as soon as he saw this mysterious boy.

The boy hushed him, slowly dragged a finger along Pat’s chin, up to his mouth, letting a nail catch on his upper lip. Pat noticed them glint in the low light, saw they were painted a glittery dark red.

“That doesn’t matter right now,” the boy spoke, an almost sing-song tone to his voice. His finger slid up from his mouth and to his cheek. The touch felt hot against Pat’s skin, left a tingling trail as the boy traced his face so delicately. 

Pat didn’t know who this boy was, or what about him seemed to clear his mind completely. He felt at peace next to him, all his worries melted away as his hand found its way into Pat’s hair, gently pulling him closer to kiss him.

He felt his face heat as soon as their lips met, he shut his eyes and leaned in close, wanting nothing but the calmness he felt as he laid next to him. The boy pulled away for a moment to press their foreheads together, the air hot around them. He felt a shock, like a static charge as the boy’s grip tensed. A single word flashed in Pat’s mind, a name.

Brian.

Then, everything went dark as Pat’s mind floated away, back to sleep.

\--

Pat snapped awake, his eyes heavy as the sunlight filtered bright through his window. He groaned as he covered his face with his arm, rolling over to grab his phone and check the time.

11:58 AM.

He slept through all his alarms.

“Shit…” He grunted as he sat up, feeling more exhausted than he did last night.

He thought of the boy, Brian. Thought of how beautiful he was, the way his wide eyes glimmered in the moonlight. The way his perfect hair, swept to the side, fell into his face as they kissed. He wanted more, he craved it. But… He wasn’t even real. Just a dream.

Pat’s heart sank as he rolled back over, just wanting to fall back asleep in hopes that he’ll see Brian again in another dream, despite knowing he should get up and head into work late.

He pushed all his lonely thoughts into the back of his mind as he sat up, rubbed his eyes and grabbed his glasses. What the hell was wrong with him, pining over a dude that wasn’t even real?

Sliding out of bed, Pat quickly got dressed, texted his boss, apologizing for being late, telling her he’ll be in soon. He paused in front of his mirror when he noticed what looked like a scab on his lip. Inspecting it closer, his breath caught in his throat when he realized what it was.

A chip of glittery red nail polish, stuck to his upper lip.

Something about the sight of this made his knees weak, and he braced himself on the sink. He blinked, and it was gone.

“I’m losing my god damn mind,” he whispered to himself, shaking his head. Combing his fingers through his hair, he turned off the light, grabbed a jacket and headed off to work, dreading the inevitable anger from his boss.

\---

Pat had to stay for overtime. The day seemed to drag by so, so slowly, an endless cycle of paperwork and typing. Everything was sore by the time he got home, three hours later than usual. It was almost 4 AM by the time he fell asleep.

\---

“About time, sleepyhead…”

Pat blinked, rolling over onto his back. Leaning over him was Brian, his disarming smile sending a wave of calm and warmth over him. Pat smiled back, reaching up to touch Brian’s hair. It was so soft, smooth and fluffy. Brian leaned into his hand, closing his eyes and sighing. Pat didn’t feel scared, didn’t feel guilty. None of this was real, anyway. He leaned up and kissed Brian, feeling his warmth envelop him, empty his mind, leave him feel as if he was floating. 

Brian leaned down further, pressing his skinny body against Pat’s as he deepened the kiss. He hummed into Pat’s mouth, cupping his face, running his thumbs along his scruffy beard.

Pat’s hands slid down Brian’s back, and he hesitated for a moment before slipping them under his shirt, feeling his warm skin, so, so warm. 

Brian pulled away a moment later, gazing deep into Pat’s eyes. Pat felt hypnotized by the boy, let his hands travel up his back further, up to his shoulders-- 

Pat froze and took his hands back quickly, almost shoving Brian off of him in a panic. Brian looked scared, covering his mouth, his other hand on Pat’s shoulder to steady himself. Pat opened his mouth to speak, but--

He was alone in his room, his phone’s alarm going off. He barely noticed it, though, everything drowned out by his own thoughts. He thought of Brian, how pleasant it felt to be around him, how much loved touching him. How warm, how perfect he was, until…

He could have sworn he felt scales.


	2. Chapter 2

It was a few weeks before Pat dreamed about Brian again. After the first day without seeing him, Pat didn’t think anything of it. A few days later, he got scared, lonely. He wanted to slap sense into himself, called himself an idiot for falling in love with someone who wasn’t even real.

After about a week, all thoughts of Brian had been pushed to the back of his mind. Pat didn’t think of him at all, forgot about him almost completely as he made his way through his daily routines. Wake up, go to work, get home, fall asleep again. Dream.

His dreams felt empty without Brian. He didn’t notice it at first, but when Brian visited for the first time in what felt like forever, Pat realized how lonely he felt every night.

Pat stared up at Brian, smiling as the familiar comfort set in. He gazed at Brian’s wide eyes, eyes that seemed to change color in the light. He reached up and brushed a strand of hair out of the boy’s face, taking in how breathtakingly beautiful he was. 

“I missed you,” Pat whispered, pulling Brian’s head closer to his.

Brian smiled, and Pat noted two sharp, fang-like teeth. He was ashamed of himself for wondering how those teeth would feel on his neck.

As if Brian could read his thoughts, he leaned in and kissed his neck gently, his lips hot against his skin. Pat turned his head with a soft sigh, his hand finding its way into Brian’s hair. Brian hummed softly against his neck, shutting his eyes at the touch. He gently nipped at Pat’s neck, earning a groan in return. Pat slid his other hand up Brian’s shirt, not flinching away this time when he felt the cold scales around his shoulders. 

“What are you…?” Pat asked quietly, rubbing his thumb against a ridge. This made Brian shiver, let out a breath. Brian didn’t answer, instead dragged his lips down his neck, leaving a bite on his collarbone. Pat’s breath hitches and he digs his nails into Brian’s back, which in return makes him bite down harder, his teeth piercing his skin.

And then he woke up.

Pat checked the time, 3:24 PM. 

Shit.

He groaned and covered his face. Was he really about to lose his goddamn job over a literal dream boy?

Sitting up and stretching, he stared up at the ceiling. It was too late to go into work, and as exhausted as he was, it wasn’t a good idea to go back to sleep. 

“Small steps, Patrick,” he muttered to himself, swinging his legs off the bed and getting up. He heard Charlie mewl from the couch as he walked out into the living room. He quickly fed him, then popped some bread into the toaster for himself. He walked into the bathroom, looking at himself in the mirror. He had heavy bags under his eyes and his hair was a mess.

“You’re a fucking mess.”

Then his eyes caught on his neck. Clear as day, he saw two small red puncture wounds. And just like the nail polish, it was gone as soon as he blinked.

Pat wanted to cry. He felt like both his life and his mind were falling apart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> short chapter im Sorry im very tired  
> none of this is beta'd so please yell at me if there's any mistakes or if its bad


	3. Chapter 3

Every day seemed to be a blur, each hour spent anticipating the night’s rest, the only time Pat got to see Brian. His visits were sporadic, he never saw any sort of pattern to when he would dream of him. On the nights Brian didn’t show, Pat felt truly lonely. He yearned for the warmth of the boy on top of him, and every morning he woke up wanting more.

He would often find himself daydreaming at work, gazing off into nothing as he thought of Brian, longing for his warm touch. This was one of those times, Pat sitting at his desk, mouth slightly parted as he stared above his screen, his face flushed. He was suddenly snapped out of his fantasy as his boss, Ms. Tara Long, grabbed his shoulder, causing him to startle and spill his coffee all over his desk.

“Shit, shit-- Fuck, I’m so sorry, I’ll clean this up,” he began, looking for a napkin, a rag, anything. But Tara just shook her head, gripped Pat’s shoulder harder, and huffed out a stern “My office, now.”

Pat was fucked.

\---

Pat had tried to defend himself, but Tara wasn’t having any of it.

“You’ve been late five times in the past two weeks. Every time I walk by your desk, you’re either slacking off or falling asleep. Your work has been sloppy at best. I’ve found six typos in your latest report, Patrick. What the hell is going on with you?”

Pat had opened his mouth to respond, but she just kept going.

“I think you should take a break, Patrick. Obviously, something’s going on and I just want what’s best for you and the company. We’ll get a replacement for you for the time being, and whenever you’re mentally ready to come back, you can give me a call. Go pack your stuff and go home.”

Pat stayed quiet, tapping his fingers on his thigh nervously. “Thank you,” he said softly, getting up and heading over to his desk to gather his things.

\---

“I think I just got fired.”

Brian looked up at Pat from the bed, his shirt half unbuttoned. Pat had been on top of him just a moment before, staring lustfully into his eyes before the reality of what happened earlier finally sank in. Now, Pat was pacing the room, his voice trembling as he explained what happened to Brian.

“I don’t know what to do. That job was the only thing keeping me stable. I’m terrified, Brian. I’m broke. I have no job. I’m going to end up on the streets. I-”

Brian cut him off with a kiss, pulling Pat down back onto the bed. All of Pat’s fear seemed to melt away as he felt the warmth of the boy’s lips on his, and he leaned into Brian. He could feel tears burning in his eyes, but he didn’t care anymore. All he cared about was Brian.

He pulled away after a moment, gazing into Pat’s eyes with a determination he hadn’t seen in him before.

“You’ll be okay, Patrick. I’ll be here with you. I won’t let anything bad happen to you.” He wiped away a tear from Pat’s cheek, smiling softly at the man. “I promise.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [shows up a month late with tim horton's]  
> hey whatd i miss
> 
> another short chapter im sorry im so fuckignfdg Tired


	4. Chapter 4

Even during the day, Pat found himself seeing Brian. It may have been him being in a near constant state of exhaustion and half-consciousness, but he seemed to feel his presence, a gentle touch of the cheek, the scratch of the boy’s fingernails against his hand. And whenever he closed his eyes, all he could see was his scales.

He saw them once. They were in bed one night, chatting, exhausted after their encounter. Brian seemed to be more open with Pat in those moments, his judgement clouded. Something about Pat made him feel safe.

Pat had asked him about what he was. Brian had paused, traced his finger on Pat’s stomach.

“I can’t tell you, not exactly. Not yet,” he said softly, peering up at the man beside him.

“Well, why not?” Pat sat up with a grunt, brushing a stray strand of hair out of Brian’s face. “Don’t you trust me?”

“Of course I do, I just…” He let himself trail off, avoiding Pat’s gaze. They sat in silence for a few moments, before Brian spoke up again. 

“I guess I can show you.”

Pat couldn’t stop himself from staring as Brian slid out of bed, turning his back to Pat and slowly sliding his button down off his shoulders.

His back was scarred with dark, iridescent ridged scales, digging up out of the center of his back, up to his shoulders. On his shoulder blades, two long black scars sliced through the rough skin, meeting in a V shape at the middle of his spine. Growing out of the scars were small, sleek black feathers.

Pat stared, taking in the sight of the boy in front of him. He was… Beautiful. He reached out a hand, brushing a finger against one of the feathers. Brian jolted, stepping away, and Pat quickly took his hand back, muttering out a quiet “sorry”. Brian crossed his arms, tapping his fingers nervously. He took one look back at Pat before sitting down on the bed again. 

“It’s fine,” he said softly. “I trust you.”

Pat looked down at his hand, and back at Brian before he reached up again, running his palm against the jagged edges of his scales. They were cold to the touch, a sharp contrast from the heat of Brian’s skin. He hummed as he reached one of the scars, letting his thumb brush against one of his feathers. Brian’s breath hitched in his throat, but he didn’t flinch away this time, letting Pat explore his back further.

“Does it hurt?” Pat asked cautiously, not wanting to cause any harm to the boy. Brian shook his head, pressing his legs together with a huff as Pat touched his feathers again, ruffling them a bit.

“Oh.”

Brian blushed, looking down at the floor.

“Ohhhh. Fuck, I’m so sorry, I didn’t realize-”

Brian cut Pat off with a kiss, spinning around and pulling Pat into his lap. Pat gasped into his mouth, wrapping his legs around Brian’s waist and grabbing as his shoulders, his scales digging into his palms. 

Brian pulled away after a moment, staring down at Pat with a dark look in his eyes before pushing him down onto the bed and straddling him.

\--

Pat woke up sore that morning. Groaning as he sat up, he winced as his palm touched the bed. Blinking, he looked down at his hands. Both his palms were cut, dried blood caking his fingers and wrists. Stuck under his fingernail was a single tiny, sleek black feather.

He blinked.

It didn’t disappear.

“What the hell…?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it seems like i cant write chapters longer than 600 words im sorry im a mess yeehaw


	5. Chapter 5

Pat held onto the feather, keeping it safe on his nightstand for the next time Brian visited. Pat was confused, conflicted… He felt betrayed. For so long, he thought Brian was just a manifestation of his subconscious, a dream created to let out his pent up energy. 

But this feather told a different story.

He wasn’t going to sleep that night. He would wait up for Brian. He’d show him the feather, make Brian give him an explanation. 

This game ended tonight.

\---

It was around 4 AM when Brian came back. Pat had been pretending to sleep, luring Brian out into a trap. His hand clenched around the feather in his palm and he jolted up, holding out the feather to Brian’s face, ready to yell-

His heart seemed to stop as he took in the sight of the boy in front of him.

No. Boy is wrong. Boy is completely, horrifyingly wrong.

The Brian that Pat grew to love was gone. In his place, a smoky gray creature stood tall, six glowing white eyes dotting its otherwise featureless face. Scales crawled up its back, jutting out into two long spikes on each of its shoulders. Four long, clawed arms were reaching out to Pat.

Pat stared. The creature stared back. Everything seemed to be frozen in time as these two beings locked eyes.

Finally, the creature spoke.  
“So… Uh, this is kinda awkward, isn’t it?”

\---

Brian was panicking. He’d never been caught like this before. He cursed at himself silently for being so stupid, for not making sure Pat was actually asleep before he came. But no, he decided to be dumb, and now he was here, in his demonic, horrifying form, staring down at the man he fell in love with. The man who, instead of the usual loving gaze, had nothing but fear in his eyes.

“Pat, please, listen-” Brian began, but he was cut off when something hard hit his head, causing him to stagger backwards. Slightly dazed, he looked down at Pat, who was holding a stack of books. His eyes were dark and unreadable and his hand was raised, ready to throw another if Brian moved any closer.

Brian backed up, not wanting to frighten Pat. 

“Please, Pat, it’s me. It’s Brian,” he said, quieter this time. “It’s me. You can trust me.”

“What the fuck are you?” he spat in response, clutching the book in his hand harder. “Tell me. Now.”

Brian winced at the sharpness of his words, ducking his head in submission and kneeling. “I’m…”

He paused for a moment, choosing his words carefully. He didn’t want to scare Pat off. At least, not as much as he already had.

“I’m a fallen angel.”

Not the whole truth, but not a lie either.

Thankfully, Pat seemed to believe this, his body relaxing. But he didn’t take his eyes off of Brian, making sure he saw his every move. Slowly, Brian moved a bit closer, until he was leaning over the bed and shifting into his friendlier, human form.

Pat’s eyes softened almost immediately as Brian returned to himself, thankful that the soft, ethereal boy he loved was back. Dropping the book, he reached over and brushed his thumb along Brian’s cheek, and Brian nuzzled his hand with a smile.

Brian climbed up onto the bed, sitting next to Pat, a worried look on his face. Pat smiled and shook his head, leaning on the boy’s shoulder.

“I think we need to talk, Brian.”

“Yeah.”

\---

They decided to spend the night talking. No kissing, no intimacy. Just clarity.

“For so long, I didn’t think you were real,” Pat said, with a small laugh. “I thought I was losing my mind.”

Brian sighed, shutting his eyes. “Yeah, sorry about that. I just… I didn’t want you to be afraid of me.”

“Why did you choose me, anyway?”

Brian cocked his head, turning to Pat with a questioning look. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, this is like a guardian angel sort of thing, I’m assuming?”

Shit, that was way too close for comfort. Brian stayed quiet for a moment, trying to think of a response, but thankfully, Pat continued.

“So did you like, choose me? Or was this assigned?”

“Assigned,” Brian replied, hoping Pat wouldn’t notice the sigh of relief he let out. “I’m so glad it turned out to be you.”

Now it was Pat’s turn to shoot a questioning look. Brian took a deep breath, turned to face Pat completely. Gently taking both of Pat’s hands into his own, he steadily looked up at the man, and he confessed.

“I love you, Pat.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> life sucks and then you die yeehaw writing is hard
> 
> \--
> 
> follow my tumblr: patbrian  
> follow my twitter: gilledbert


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